Toothpaste

My recommended toothpaste list is below

When it comes to choosing a toothpaste that is right for you, there are a few questions to consider when making your choice. Since the average person brushes their teeth around 730 times a year, and our gum tissue is extremely delicate, it is important to educate ourselves about the toothpaste products we repeatedly use.

Questions to consider when choosing your toothpaste:

What do I want my toothpaste to accomplish?

What is the purpose of this toothpaste?

How abrasive is this toothpaste?

What ingredients are used in this toothpaste?

Do I have any allergies to these ingredients?

Toothpaste should serve a function. Believe it or not, the goal of toothpaste is NOT to remove plaque, biofilm or bacteria. Toothpaste was designed to add flavor like mint, to your morning and evening brushing routine. Unfortunately, this minty flavor is designed to leave you with a tingly, numbing feeling that misleads you into thinking that your teeth are clean. Guess what? You get that same tingly, fresh breath feeling right after eating a piece of Andes chocolate mint. The mint flavor masks the filth in our mouths. So please realize that toothpaste is NOT responsible for removing the bacteria in your mouth, your toothbrush is.

If you are looking for a toothpaste to help keep your bacteria levels down, remineralize your enamel, or counteract the effects of dry mouth/xerostomia, look for products that include Xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener derived from the fibrous parts of plants. It does not break down like sugar and can help keep a neutral pH level in the mouth. Xylitol is cariostatic, meaning it prevents bacteria from sticking to the teeth. **NOTE: Keep this away from your dog. Unlike humans, a dog's liver is unable to process this (as well as a lot of other human food items), and serious hypoglycemic effects may occur in them.

Abrasiveness

Ahh… the abrasiveness of toothpaste. Nature gave us the gift of strong, hard enamel. Enamel is comprised of calcium phosphate and is the hardest substance in the body. That being said, enamel is also extremely permeable to acids and is easily scratched over time. Toothpaste can be both good and bad. A good toothpaste has minimal ingredients in it, Xylitol or Fluoride, and is a low abrasive (SEE CHART BELOW). A bad toothpaste would qualify as one that has unnecessary chemicals and ingredients, and is highly abrasive. Stay away from the high abrasive toothpastes AKA Whitening Toothpastes. First off, nothing other than professional teeth bleaching will change the shade of your teeth. These toothpastes end up doing more harm than good by removing tooth enamel. They also strip off the protective protein layers of your teeth reducing their ability to resist acids and making you prone to tooth sensitivity.

You want a toothpaste with low abrasiveness. Toothpaste formulations are always changing, but what you see here is the most current information I could find.

RDA (Relative Dentin Abrasion) Index

Note: Anything below 70 is considered a low abrasive.

RDA

TOOTHPASTE NAME

RDA

TOOTHPASTE NAME

4

Toothbrush with plain water

101

Natural White

7

Plain baking soda

103

Arm & Hammer Sensation

8

Arm & Hammer Tooth Powder

103

Mentadent

15

Weleda Salt Toothpaste

104

Sensodyne Extra Whitening

30

Elmex Sensitive Plus

106

Colgate Platinum

30

Weleda Tooth Products

107

Crest Sensitivity Protection

34

ProNamel by Sensodyne

107

Sensodyne Full Protection Whitening

35

Arm & Hammer Dental Care

110

Crest Regular

40

Weleda Children’s Tooth Gel

110

Colgate Herbal

42

Arm & Hammer Advanced Whitening / Peroxide

110

Prevident 5000 Booster

44

Squiggle Enamel Saver

113

Aquafresh Whitening

45

Oxyfresh

117

Arm & Hammer Advance White Gel

45

Weleda Calendula Toothpaste

117

Arm & Hammer Sensation Tartar Control

45

Weleda Pink Toothpaste with Ratanhia

120

Close Up with Baking Soda

48

Arm & Hammer Dental Care Sensitive

124

Colgate Whitening

49

Tom's of Maine Sensitive

124

Crest Sensitivity Whitening + Scope

52

Arm & Hammer Peroxicare Regular

130

Crest Extra Whitening

53

Rembrandt Original

133

Ultra Brite

53

CloSYS

140

Crest Pro Health Night

54

Arm & Hammer Sensitive + Whitening

142

Colgate Total Whitening

54

Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Bold Mint

145

Crest Pro Health Enamel Shield

57

Tom's of Maine Childrens Toothpaste

145

Ultra Brite Advanced Whitening

62

Supersmile

150

Pepsodent

63

Rembrandt Mint

152

Crest Sensitive Whitening

63

Colgate Sensitive Enamel Protect

155

Crest Pro Health

65

ClinPro

160

Colgate Total Advanced Fresh

68

Colgate Regular

162

Crest Pro Health Whitening

70

Colgate Total

165

Colgate Tartar Control

70

Arm & Hammer Advance White Sensitive

168

Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Fresh Mint

70

Arm & Hammer Advance White Sensitive

168

Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Fresh Mint

70

Colgate 2-in-1 Fresh Mint

176

Nature's Gate paste

78

Biotene

200

Colgate 2-in-1 Tartar Control / Whitening

79

Sensodyne

80

Aim

The RDA Table:

80

Close Up

0-70

Low Abrasive

83

Colgate Sensitive Max Strength

71-100

Medium Abrasive

84

Tom's of Maine

101-150

Highly Abrasive

85

Dentisse

151-250

Regarded as Harmful

85

Rembrandt Intense Stain

87

Nature's Gate

90

Sensodyne Fresh Mint

91

Aquafresh Sensitive

92

Sensodyne Cool Gel

93

Tom's of Maine

94

Rembrandt Plus

94

Sensodyne Fresh Impact

95

Crest Regular

95

Oxyfresh Powder with Fluoride

100

Sensodyne Original

100

Sensodyne Tartar Control Whitening

Ingredients to Avoid in your toothpaste

Here is a list of some (not all) ingredients I am commonly asked about in commercial toothpastes. Please know that a lot of these ingredients are in several of our daily consumed products. I encourage everyone to be aware of what is in their dental products. What you put or don’t put into your body is YOUR CHOICE. I just ask that you at least KNOW what you are putting into it. Most people read their food labels but often forget to give their dental products the same respect. Even products labeled as “NATURAL” can contain unwanted ingredients.

Artificial Sweeteners and Dyes:

Saccharin, Sorbitol, Aspartame, and FD&C blue dye No. 1 and 2. These are widely known as being linked to learning and behavioral issues and cancers. These dyes and Sweeteners exist in many color coated candies, kids colored drinks, and many things that are labeled ”sugar free”etc.

Carrageenan

This is a common food additive that is extracted from a red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, which is popularly known as Irish moss. Carrageenan, is used as a thickener and emulsifier. Some studies have shown chronic body inflammation linked to carrageenan, however there are different forms of this ingredient.

Fluoride

The fluoride debate is nothing new in dentistry. Everyone has their personal opinion on this subject. There are dentists and doctors who oppose the use of Fluoride, and others who believe wholeheartedly in its use. I encourage everyone to do their own research and determine if it is right for them. Fluoride has been shown to help reverse early decay but at the same time it can re harden enamel over active decay (which isn't good).

Polyethylene

Also known as plastic. The kind of plastic that is used in grocery bags that is not biodegradable. CREST is a huge offender here. They will most likely need to reformulate their product in the near future due to multiple complaints they have been receiving. I continue to see plastic blue specs in many of my patients when they come in for cleanings. I conducted my own overnight experiment with these plastic blue specs and I can confirm that they do not break down. For a great article and close up pictures of these plastic particles check out

Pyrophosphate (Tetrasodium and/or tetrapotassium pyrophosphate)

An oral care agent that animal studies have found impact your brain and nervous system at low doses.

Salicylates

Salicylic acid is the anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving ingredient in aspirin and other similar products. Most people have no issue with Salicylates, however if you do have an ALLERGY or severe sensitivity, you may want to check what is in your dental product.

Salicylate Containing Ingredients include:

Artificial food coloring and flavoring

Benzoates

Magnesium salicylate

Menthol

Methyl salicylate

Mint

Peppermint

Phenylethyl salicylate

Sodium salicylate

Spearmint

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is a synthetic detergent which The American College of Toxicology says can cause skin corrosion, irritation and canker sores. For those who get frequent mouth ulcer outbreaks or canker sores, check your toothpaste ingredients.

Triclosan

Colgate Total is the only toothpaste currently featuring the antibacterial Triclosan. They will be reformulating and eradicating the Triclosan by 2015 after numerous consumer complaints.

Triclosan is an antimicrobial that the FDA considers a pesticide. It has been found to disrupt hormones with negative effects on thyroid and estrogen levels. Other studies have raised the possibility that triclosan contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Here’s what cancer-prevention expert Samuel Epstein, MD, wrote about triclosan in a March 24, 2010 article in the Huffington Post:

“Unexpected volatility has been documented when the triclosan in liquid soaps and other household products comes into contact with water, as would happen during common use. At Virginia Tech University, a team of researchers in April 2005 reported that some toothpastes and soaps create a chloroform gas when the triclosan in these products reacts with chlorinated tap water.”
— Samuel Epstein, MD; The Huffington Post

Toothpaste Amount / Dosage

Side Note: The AMOUNT of toothpaste you use is critical. Unlike what the consumer advertisements show, that thick ribbon of crystal blue gel you see draped over the toothbrush, is incorrect. ONLY a BABY PEA SIZED amount of toothpaste should be used.